I hope I don't fall in love with you
by U2fan003
Summary: Just an evening of Aarch, Adium, her sister, and Artegor at an Akillian bar. Aarch x Adium / Artegor / OC (Adium's sister)


Cam and Adium were enjoying the rare occasion of a night they were both off. Adium's hectic schedule as president of the League often occupied nights with public appearances and benefits, and Cam's nomadic career changes could not afford her to ask for a night off, whatever job she was doing at the time.

They had gotten closer through the years, yet were still the polar opposites.

They decided to head to a downtown bar popular among the adult residents of Akillian. There were only a few nosy teenagers in the bar, and these were only enjoying their pre-partying drinks.

The two sisters sat at a private booth enjoying their night of relaxing company without any formalities and business relations. Adium longed for nights of the sort.

They talked about their day, their week at work, and just gossip in general.

Despite her hap-hazard manner and bouts of spontaneity, Cam was in a strong relationship with her partner of twelve years. Adium was fond of Graham, he toned her sister down.

Cam was always trying to find someone for Adium to go out with. Following a few uncomfortable and basically weird dates with her set-ups who even she did not know well enough to set up with her sister, Adium made Cam promise her to never set her up with anyone again.

"So, there's this guy." Cam said.

"Oh, here we start again." Adium said as she rolled her eyes but listened for the sheer entertainment of proving her sister wrong once again.

"Stop it. There's this guy, he's at my new job. He's single, good looking, has excellent taste, he's caring, and he doesn't like football, so you can completely block out of your world for once in a while."

"Right, what's his "but"?"

Cam stood silent for a while. And with a laugh she said "And I think he's gay."

"I knew I couldn't trust you."

"Hey, you'd really get on well with him."

"Yea, as a best friend to go shopping with." They both started laughing with their glasses of Scotch.

They continued talking about their life at the moment, commenting about people in the bar, and Adium being embarrassed of Cam most of the time.

A well-dressed man came up to the table, looking at Adium. "Hi, I'm sorry I came over like this, but my eyes kept falling on you all night and I couldn't stop my self. I'm Nevon, can I buy you a drink?"

Adium looked at Cam blushing and flushed for words. "Well, I'm very flattered. But I planned to spend the night with my sister, I hope you understand."

"Oh, that's not a problem. Have a good evening. It's been a pleasure meeting you.

"Thank you, good night to you too."

Adium blushed and confounded in her drink.

Cam kept looking at her with the look Adium dreaded most.

"What?" Adium said with a shrug.

"He was a perfectly reasonable guy and you just sent him away?"

"Yea he was, but I don't want anything right now."

"Hmm… ok then," Cam said sarcastically.

"What was that?"

"What?"

"That, that sarcasm."

"Well, you don't want to show it, but you want some things more than others."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Well, let's say another person came up to you the way this poor guy did, you wouldn't have turned _him_ away if I wasn't with you and if noone was watching."

"What? What are you talking about?"

"You know what."

"No I don't. You have some other crazy idea about me like you always do."

"Come on Adium, stop fooling yourself. I'm talking about Aarch."

Adium looked shockingly at her sister. She did not dare say anything back because it would give her away.

Cam kept on going. "You don't want to allow yourself, or admit to yourself that a part of you still wants him. And perhaps you have every right to after all that had happened. But please don't keep lying to yourself."

"Look who's all serious now." Adium said with a grin.

"Come on, admit it. You can tell me I'll probably drink the rest of the bottle and forget it anyway."

"By the looks of it I'm going to have to drink the rest of the bottle if you keep on blabbering about this."

"Say all you want, I'm going to stop here, let's order another one."

Adium felt a sigh of relief having escaped that conversation. Cam was right, in every way. She just didn't want to admit it to herself.

The two kept on enjoying the night and simply enjoying the conversation.

Cam started acting and looking weird.

"What?" Adium said in suspense.

Cam tried not to show her, but Adium noticed and she had to tell her.

"Don't look, but Aarch just walked in with a woman."

"What?!" Adium said in surprise as she turned on her seat.

Aarch did just enter the bar, with Artegor.

Adium turned quickly so they would not see her, to face a large grin on Cam's face.

"I knew it. You're jealous at the thought of him with another woman!" She said as she playfully gestured to Adium's shocked face.

"You are such…." Adium stopped mid sentence.

"Hey, at least you've told it to another person."

"I didn't say anything."

"Well, you clearly showed me. Now we can talk about it. I mean, whenever you want."

"Shut up. This never happened."

Cam stood still. "Oh, he saw me."

"What? No."

Cam waved at Aarch and he smiled back with a nod for a drink. She pointed at Adium who still did not move from her seat.

Adium was horrified, now she had to. She turned again on her seat and subtly waved to Aarch. Artegor did not really wave or make any welcoming gesture.

Aarch started walking over.

"Come on, smile." Cam gestured.

Adium shrugged.

Aarch arrived at their table and greeted them both with his charming smile. He wanted to greet them (mainly Adium) with a kiss on the cheek, but knew she would be embarrassed and mostly would probably not let him after all that happened. But that was over, and they had been working well together. Aarch was still persistent in showing her how he felt about her, but she was still adamant.

"Hey," he said warmly. "Girls' night out, hugh?"

"Looks like it's the same for you." Cam said, obviously inappropriately.

"Well, Artegor isn't much company to go out with. The only reason I got him here was that I promised him we'd discuss strategies together."

They both laughed, and Adium tried to keep in a smile.

Aarch and Cam always had a good relationship, despite Cam being on Adium's side of the story.

"I'll get you another round. 18 year old McAllester neat, right?"

Adium smiled and thanked him.

He left to go order at the bar. "He remembers your favourite Scotch." Cam said in a teasingly annoying way.

"That's the only thing I drink, Cam."

"Yes, yes…" she said sarcastically once again.

"Now he's getting us drinks and we're obliged to tell him - and well his boyfriend - to sit with us."

"So? They're alright. Well, Aarch is anyway."

"You set this up didn't you?"

"What? Of course not. Hey, don't think about all the other stuff, just enjoy the night and the company. There's no pressure. You're with me."

"Look who's all caring and serious now… But thanks."

Aarch came over with Artegor who had a look that showed he'd rather be anywhere else but here.

The night went surprisingly well. Aarch secretly shot a few glances at Adium, who looked at times, and on the rarer occasions did smile back.

—

Adium excused herself and went to the bathroom. She was washing her hands, and was not bothered to either touch up her mascara or redo her lipstick - fooling herself into thinking she was not interested.

After a while Aarch entered the room. She got startled upon seeing him in the ladies' room.

"Hi," he said slightly embarrassed upon having followed her into the bathroom. Luckily there was noone else in there.

"What are you doing in here?" she asked in a flustered manner, still giving him her back and looking at him through the mirror.

"I miss you."

"Wow, I've only been away from our table for five minutes, Aarch." She tried to deviate the conversation away with a joke.

"No, I miss you, Adium."

She got startled. She could not say anything.

She stood there for a while simply looking at him, as he waited for any form of response.

"Come in a stall, someone might see us out here." She motioned him to follow her into one of the stalls.

They entered, her heart was fluttering in a tense way, fearing for what was to follow.

They stood in front of each other in a moment of stillness.

He whispered, "I love you."

She could not move. She did not know how to respond to that. She secretly did want him to show any form of feeling towards her, but she was not ready for this.

He leaned in close to her, slowly, to give her time to back away since he was unsure of how she felt.

She did not move. He moved in closer and kissed her softly on the lips. She still did not move or utter a word.

He continued to kiss her and she kissed back. They embraced eachother and for a moment she forgot all that had happened between them.

He slowly felt her stop kissing him, and he moved back.

"Is everything alright?" he whispered.

Adium's face was confused, worried, and blushing at the same time.

"Aarch, please understand. I'm not ready for this, whatever this is."

He was not expecting much, but still was a little disappointed.

"It's ok. I don't blame you. But Adium, I just want you to know that what I said is true. And if you ever want us to try again, I promise I will do everything to make it work."

She looked at him and for a moment believed what he said.

"Please understand this Aarch. I'm flattered that you're prepared to take this seriously, but I'm just not ready for whatever can happen between us. If anything can ever happen between us."

He looked disappointed. "I know, I know. I understand."

"Thanks."

"I'm sorry, I didn't want to ruin your night."

"No don't worry about it. I'm sorry I might have ruined yours." She smiled a bit.

"Hey let's go back, they'll be wondering where we are."

"Well, Cam knows where we are."

"Ahhh… Cam… gotta love her."

"Yea… I'll go first. I'm sorry Aarch."

"No, no it's ok… Well, it's not, but, we'll be alright."

She smiled with a slight sigh.

"Let's go enjoy the rest of the night. We were having a good night, then I'd do something stupid like follow you into the bathroom."

She smiled and was about to laugh, but she had already turned him down once this night.

She left and went to their table.

Cam looked at her suspiciously. Having been left alone at a table with Artegor convinced her enough about something going on with Aarch.

She felt Cam looking at her, she couldn't get out of this one.

Aarch arrived after a moment and a sigh of relief crossed the table as finally someone arrived who could speak Artegor's language.

The night went on well, and they enjoyed the company.

Aarch offered to drive them home, but Cam insisted they get a taxi, mainly to gossip with Adium about what was going on.

As they got in, Adium felt Cam was about to start one of her antics.

"Soo."

"Don't you try to start that."

"Oh so something did happen."

"What are you talking about."

"Yea, as if he didn't stick his tongue in your mouth while you were away."

Adium pretended to look shocked, much to Cam's pleasure. They started to laugh after a while.

"So come on, how was it?"

"Shut up."

Cam got down with Adium at her place, sensing that there was more to this, and knew Adium would want to talk to her about it.

"What it is? I know something's up. Come on you can tell me."

They went inside and sat with a cup of tea.

"You know you can tell me, Addy."

Adium looked hesitant and slightly lost, so she just blurted it out. "Well, he's just told me he loves me."

Cam stood still for a moment in awe, and with a wishful laugh she said, "Well, as if that isn't obvious."

"What are you talking about?" Adium looked shocked.

"Oh come on Addy, don't tell me that's news to you. Have you seen the way he looks at you or have you been blind for the past four years?"

Adium was amused at her naivety.

"Anyway, that's not the issue. Now that he's told me, I don't know how I feel."

"Well, how did you feel about him before he told you?"

Adium looked lost, but a slight bittersweet element could be felt. "I don't know. I wanted to give it another go maybe, not right now perhaps. But now this has put on a little pressure."

Cam looked assertive. "Hey, not because you know how he feels means that you owe him anything or that you need to pressure yourself into this. Just take it one step at a time and see how you feel about it. That's the most important thing. If you force yourself into it just because he said some nice words in a bathroom stall of a bar then you'd just be lying to yourself. And him."

Adium felt slightly better. She smiled at her sister with a look of gratitude. Despite Cam's mischievous nature, she could behave when she had to.

"So was it that obvious?" Adium said somewhat blushing.

"What? That he loves you or that you two went in the bathroom together half way during drinks at a busy bar?"

"Oh God." Adium regretted asking that at the embarrassment of Cam's last comment. "Both now I guess."

"Well, yes. …and yes." Cam said with a cheeky grin.

Adium was shy in these matters, despite her strong character and job position.

"You think anyone saw us?" She asked worriedly.

"Oh no, I kept an eye out. And after all the bar doesn't let just anyone in."

Adium felt relieved.

"Though people did see Artegor out with a very uncomfortable looking woman."

They both laughed. Cam knew how to cheer up her sister, even though she did not need that much cheering up - the handsome, successful and wealthy man she might have feelings for did just confess his love for her on the same night after all.

"So what are you going to do?" Cam asked seriously.

"Well, first I'll sleep on it-"

"Then you'll sleep with him!" Cam jumped in.

Adium gave her a disapproving look.

"Sorry I couldn't resist. Keep going."

"Well, then I guess I'll talk to him about how I feel."

"I guess that calls for a drink."

Cam stood up and went to Adium's pantry and poured some Scotch in their teas.

"What?" Cam asked as she noticed Adium grinning.

"Well, I've never told you this, but, we did… once before."

"WHAT?!" Cam was overly excited. "You mean… you.. and him?!"

Adium nodded shyly.

"Come on tell me tell me!"

"No! All I'm going to say is that he had just won the cup and that's all."

"Oh I think he won more than the cup!"

"Shut up." Adium said grinning.

"What so it was just a one time thing?"

"Yes, and it was a bit difficult after, but we just decided to put it behind us and not let it interfere with our relationship. We need to work together after all."

"Oh so this here is a professional relationship I see."

"Oh come on you know what I mean."

As the night went by and they kept talking and drinking, she felt a particular warmth inside, dimmed with confusion at the same time. An uncertain peace.

Cam stayed on for a couple more Scotches in mugs and left to her place after a great night.

The morning was calm, she poured herself a cup of tea and tried to relax.

The thoughts were still running through her mind, though she was somewhat warm inside.

She waited for a message, a call, anything. She knew he was not the type to be outright open with his feelings, so what he said yesterday was either a lie or a very pressuring truth.

She fidgeted around and decided not to make a big deal out of it if he did not message or call. But how could she not make a big deal out of it if he had just confessed his love for her the night before?

Cam called and they spent a good half hour on the holophone, which distracted her away from her thoughts.

After a while she received a message from him. It simply read: "I'll wait for you," which put her in even more pressure.

She decided not to tell Cam, or anyone else. She just needed to digest all of this.

She did not reply, she did not know what to reply to a message like that.

Impatience drained her and made her OCD worse, and it being a weekend off made it even the more daunting as she could not drown herself in work.

She tried to keep busy both Saturday and Sunday. She did stupid things like organise her cutlery drawer - which was really always organised, like most of her stuff.

She could not hold it in any longer. She was frustrated and confused.

He was enjoying what little was left of his Sunday night off, after an intense morning training session with the Snow Kids. He was already in his pyjama pants lounging on the sofa flipping through the channels.

His door bell rang. It was 10 in the evening, and he thought it was one of the kids. He got up to check on the intercom who it was, and panicked when he saw that it was her.

He quickly put on the first shirt he found - being bare chested would make them feel both uncomfortable, despite it was nothing she never saw before.

She knew the thoughts and frustration were not going to allow her to work the following day, so she wanted to get this off her chest tonight.

He opened the door. "Adium, hi," he said astounded.

She immediately got in, not wanting anyone to see her late at night entering his apartment.

He could notice that she was unsettled and fidgety, not her usual composed self.

She spoke. "Aarch, about last Friday, is it true?"

He looked at her with worry and tried to assure her. "I would never lie to you Adium."

"I need a yes or no answer." Her OCD was kicking in.

"Yes." He said affirmatively.

She looked confused.

"Adium, I'm sorry about last Friday, barging in on you like that. I didn't want to put pressure on you."

"No no, it's not that." She said in a hurry.

He looked relived, still confused.

"Aarch, I need to know, if you're ready to try again, we can't keep fooling around. I'm tired of us secretly flirting at events, or sleeping together just because you won the Cup, or making out in a bathroom stall of a bar we met at coincidentally." She said in one breath.

He could not speak, she did not let him either.

"If, perhaps, we'll agree to try again, there can't be no tip-toeing around like we're doing right now, we can't keep fooling ourselves and hooking up at any opportunity and then just act like nothing happened."

He did not realise that all these instances did actually mean a lot to her.

"Aarch, if we continue like this we'll just be laughing at ourselves."

"No no, you're right. We've been fooling around for too long."

"I just wanted to say that. I'm tired of the presence of this one-off thing between us every now and then just for the sake of it."

There was a silence until she calmed down.

"I'm sorry I barged in on you like this, but I just couldn't let this get away without telling you. I hope you weren't sleeping?"

"No no, don't worry about it. It's the least I owe you."

A silence again filled the room.

He spoke with a certain hope, "So, does this mean you want to try again?"

She looked at him in confusion and realised she did not think about that at all.

"I'm not sure. I don't know yet Aarch."

He looked disappointed. "Alright. Adium, I know I dropped that bomb on you in there the other night, please don't think I want to pressure you into anything, far from that. I just wanted to let you know how I feel… And if you don't feel anything or don't want to try again, it's alright, you've got every right to."

She felt relieved that he understood.

* * *

Author's notes: I apologise for all the fluff :) 

I had a bunch of unfinished GF fanfictions in my laptop, and with the current promotion of the show on social media, I thought of posting them here. This is one of them.

Hope you guys like it :)


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